Aeroplane-track.



l the track-With suspended aeroplane.

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bl all .mennen snannonn; or Merate., GERMANY.

annorLANE-rnncn.

messes.

Specification of Iie'tters Patent.

Application sled. april 27 191e. sensing, 557,952.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known t-hatl, RiCHARD Gimnnonn,

a subject of the German Emperor, and re,

ltially consists in means for suspending; or

supporting the aeroplane atrest or during its flight out of contact with the ground and the track superstructure.

The aeroplane, under which term I cornprise flying machines with gliding action of whatever type, can-be used for free flight, within certain limits, and also for merrygo-round or passenger quick-service purposes. ln free flight the aeroplane has lim id up and down and lateral movement, while in guided propulsion it has only a for- Ward movement, in which friction in the guide parts is greatlyreduced owing), to the aeroplanes tendency to rise.

In order to make my invention more readily understood, will now describe it with reference to the accompanying sheet of more or less diagrammatical drawings, in'which- Figure l shows a cross-sectionfy throgh ng. 2 showsa tower supporting the aeroplane, with the "guide rails 'in section. Fig.' 3 shows a `.qirder bridge'with two guide rails insection, supporting the aeroplane. Fig. l represents a top view thereof. Fig. 5 shows a. bridge for suspending,r the aero-- plane, with Athe vguiding Cables or rails in section. Fig. 6 shows a plan View thereof. Fig. represents a rear view of a girder frame, running'on parallel vmetals or rails .shown insection, centrally of which frame the aeroplane 1s suspended, and Fig. 8 represents a top view thereof.

Referring to Fig. l, the aeroplane a is suspended .by means of ropes from cables c which are supported on masts or towers d, set up in pairs on either side of the pro- I posed course otlight. The-cables are of square cross-section and carry trucks c to which are connected the ropes 2'). The wheels of athe trucks are suitably provided with roller bearings. Upon the aeroplane 'motor being started and the aeroplane being Patented duly'l, i913. I

driven forward, the' trucks are dragged along.; the cables. The aeroplane can rise and can also swing out ,laterally of the mef dian line, as shown by the dotted arcs. ln order to prevent sudden shocks tothe machine upon settling down, there are interposed in' the ropes strong' springs or other resilient members f. Since, in this manner,

the aeroplane isF prevented from coming,

towers, there is no danger connected with Vits @poration 'even 'to the beginner. The course, by the arrangement of the cable towers, is so laid out, that the pupil has to pass through .straightl as well as curved stretches. l

In Fig. Q'the aeroplane, or a number of them, rides on rails or ropes g held by into contact with either the ground or the forked supports t on top of the .tower h.

Wheels z' and rollers k, jouinaled in bracketsy dependingI from the maif frame, clutch theI rails or ropes .fromjabote and below and 3 80 According" to the construction shown prevent the machine from falling' oil".

form of construction is especially adapted y to passenger tralic and for merry-go-round purposes. By raising; the rails g1 and 10W- ering the aeroplane relative to the truck, the propeller shaft may likewise be lowered, for instance into the plane of the truck axles. low the cross-girders, the side-"girders being moved farther apart, and the aeroplane then be hung up by means of trucks travcling, on the depending rails.

The machine, according to Figs. 5 and 6, is hung up by one or more ropes held between ropes or cables a which are guided between rollers o. These latter are journaled in pairs on the cross-grders of bridge Zand also on the ground, and the cables are The rails may also be arranged be-' traveled "from a central station at the velocity the aeroplane' is toattain. As Soon as 'the'proper velocity obtalns, the aeroplane may be caused to rise by judicious steering.

.the rope or ropes I) sla-cking correspondingly;

may hang loosely, limiting the .upanddownV movement of the aeroplane. and preventing at the same time dangerous jars. Y

According to the construction of Figs. 7 and 8, the aeroplane is-suspenoed by-ropes b from a trestle or girder frame The four corner pillars are carried by rol ers r1 which run on rails .slaid out on the ground. The aeroplane has free play within this frame and in its Hight drags it along. v The number of rollers and rails may ob viously vary. In place of single rollers, twoor four-wheeled trucksvmaybe used;

In operating the described constructions in passenger traffic or as merry-go-roun'ds,

where the acroplanes arepositivly guided and the ropulsion is to be by means of the 'common y used propcllers, explosion motors or electromoters may be used. In the latter case the ropes and rails effectively serve as current conductors.

1. In `an experimental apparatus ofthe class specified, an elevated track structure, a pair of oppositely-disposed trucks arranged to travel thereonfand an aeroplane havlng flexible connections with said trucks and self-contained drivingl and steering means, whereby said aeroplane Ymay 'be driven forward in the direction of the track and directed both vertically and laterally within the limits of said connections.

2. In an experimental apparatus of the class specified, an elevated track structure, a pair of oppositely-disposed trucks arranged to; travel thereon, and an aeroplane having fiexible connections with said trucks 3. InVY an 'experimentalrapparatus of the class specified, an elevated track structure comprising two oppositely-disposed series of towers and a cable connecting the tops of the towersof each series, a pair of oppositely-disposed trucks arranged to travel along said cables, a pair of ropes connected to said mtrucks, andan aeroplane connected to the free endsofsaid ropes and having self-contained driving and steerin means, whereby said aeroplane may be driven forward in the direction of said track and directed 'bothY Yverticallyrand laterally within thellimitsofsaidropes. i v,

4. In an experimental apparatus of the class specified, an elevated track `VStructure comprising two oppositely-'disposed series of towers and a cable connecting the tops of the towers offeach series,1a pair of oppositely-disposed trucks arranged to travel along said cables, a p air of ropes connected to said trucks, and Vanraeroplaneconnected to the free ends of said ropes and having self-containedv driving and steerin means, whereby'saidaeroplane may be drlven forward in-thedirection of said track and di-Y rected both vertically and laterally Within the limits of said ropesrsaid ropes having resilient elements included therein.

i In testimony whereof I aiiix my. signature 1n presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD GILARDONE.

= Witnesses:

JOSEPH ROHMER, AUGUST OosTERMAN. 

